New Program Will Help Sonoma County Residents Sign Up for Affordable Health Insurance

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) today announced two grant awards for health centers in Sonoma County to help enroll the uninsured in new health insurance options made available by the Affordable Care Act. Santa Rosa Community Health Centers was awarded a $224,055 grant. Sonoma Valley Community Health Center was awarded an $86,678 grant. With these awards, the health centers will help consumers understand their coverage options in California’s new Health Insurance Marketplace – Covered California. The award will also allow the health centers to help people determine their eligibility for Medi-Cal, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, as well as other forms of financial assistance.

“The Affordable Care Act is providing people in our district with access to affordable health insurance,” said Thompson. “This award will help people identify options for coverage and enroll in an affordable insurance plan that suits their needs. 

“Not only is this good for those looking for affordable health insurance options, it’s also good for health care costs overall.  Right now, our clinics and hospitals are providing millions of dollars of uncompensated care and that cost is ultimately passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums. Covering the uninsured will drive down health care costs for everyone.”

In California, 129 health centers operating 1,221 sites served 3,261,720 patients last year, 42 percent of whom were uninsured. These funds will help Sonoma Valley Community Health Center will hire two full time employees who will assist local residents with enrollment into affordable health insurance coverage. Santa Rosa Community Health Center will use the grant to hire four new employees, and to train five current employees to conduct outreach and assist residents with enrollment into the new, affordable health insurance options.

Today’s announcement is part of a larger effort to make applying for health coverage as easy as possible. The new, consumer-focusedHealthCare.gov website and the 24-hour-a-day consumer call center (1-800-318-2596) are available to help people in California’s 5th District prepare for open enrollment and ultimately sign up for health coverage.

These new tools will help residents understand their coverage options and select the plan that best suits their needs when open enrollment in the new Health Insurance Marketplace, Covered California, begins October 1, 2013.